Go to Special World 1, and complete the castle to unlock Luigi. When you see an "L" in a circle on the touch screen below the world map, tap it to play as Luigi.

Final level

Get a 5 star icon on your saved game file to unlock the final level.

Star Medal levels

Get the indicated number of Star Medals to unlock the corresponding Star Medal level:

S1-Bowser: 110 Star Medals

S2-Airship: 120 Star Medals

S3-Airship: 140 Star Medals

S4-Airship: 160 Star Medals

S5-Bowser: 180 Star Medals

S6-Airship: 200 Star Medals

S7-Bowser: 220 Star Medals

S8-1: 230 Star Medals

S8-2: 240 Star Medals

S8-3: 250 Star Medals

S8-4: 260 Star Medals

S8-5: 270 Star Medals

S8-Bowser: 290 Star Medals

W1-4: 3 Star Medals

W3-5: 15 Star Medals

W4-3: 30 Star Medals

W5-3: 40 Star Medals

W5-Bowser: 50 Star Medals

W6-5: 60 Star Medals

W7-3: 70 Star Medals

W8-3: 80 Star Medals

W8-Bowser 1: 90 Star Medals

W8-Bowser 2: 100 Star Medals

Saved game star icons

Successfully complete one of the following tasks to get one additional star on your saved game file. Note: Die fewer than five times in each level to make the stars more shiny.

1. Defeat Bowser in World 8's last level.

2. Successfully complete all levels with Mario.

3. Successfully complete all levels with Luigi.

4. Collect the gold flag on all levels.

5. Successfully complete all stages with Mario and Luigi and have a Golden Flagpole on each stage with either brother.

Photo album

Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding photo. Note: To view the photographs, reach the Blue Mushroom house in World 3.

Photo #2: Successfully complete World 1.

Photo #3: Successfully complete World 2.

Photo #4: Successfully complete World 3.

Photo #5: Successfully complete World 4.

Photo #6: Successfully complete World 5.

Photo #7: Successfully complete World 6.

Photo #8: Successfully complete World 7.

Photo #9: Successfully complete the game with Mario.

Photo #10: Successfully complete the game with Luigi.

Photo #11: Unlock Special World.

Photo #12: Successfully complete Special World, then complete the game.

Flagpole effects

Hit the flagpole at the end of a level with the last digit of your time ending in one of the following numbers to get the corresponding effect:

Balloons: Have the last digit of your time be a "6" to have balloons appear.

Fireworks: Have the last digit of your time be a "3" to have fireworks appear.

Streamers: Have the last digit of your time be a "1" to have streamers appear.

Test level

Remain idle at the title screen until a level preview begins. Continue to remain idle, and a test level will start, where you can practice your moves and play in a 3D puzzle.

Alternate title screen

While playing in any Special World, save and exit the game. An alternate video will play at the main menu. To disable this effect, save and exit the game while playing in one of the first eight worlds.

Super Mario without hat and Little Mario with hat

Get 1,110 lives (triple-crown icon), and change into Super Mario or Super Luigi form to be hatless. Change into Little Mario or Little Luigi to be wearing a hat.

Golden Tanooki suit

Fail a level repeatedly to get an item box with a golden Tanooki leaf to appear. Hit the box to get a Tanooki suit, which makes you invincible.

Turning into a statue

Collect a grey Tanooki leaf in the Special World, and a red or green bandanna will appear around your neck. Perform a Ground Pound to turn into a statue.

Extra lives

Reach the goal post while holding an item to convert it into an extra life.

In an airship with Boom Boom, jump on her head and remain there. She will bounce, and you will get extra lives. Note: Do not stay there too long or you will lose your power-up.

Find the three Koopa Troopas and three coin blocks immediately after the checkpoint flag in World 1-2. Step on the first long coin block on the ground, then walk down onto the Koopa Troopa below when it moves directly below the coin block. If timed correctly, you can bounce off the Koopa Troopa repeatedly and get unlimited lives.

Warp to World 2 in World 1-2

In World 1-2, there are three "?" coin blocks with Koopas after the flag pole. Jump on the middle one, then jump up as if you were going towards the back wall. You should reach a top ledge above. Run to the right, and jump over the gap to reach an orange pipe that will take you to World 2.

Extra lives in World 2-3

At the end of World 2-3, go around flag pole, and enter the small door in the castle to find a 1-Up mushroom island and a 1-Up mushroom.

Warp to World 5 in World 4-2

In World 4-2, near the end of the level, when you get to the three bounce blocks (the first one has 27 coins), jump on the second block. Bounce as high as possible, then wall jump on the left. You should wall jump to a secret hidden wall. Run all the way to the right to reach an orange pipe that will take you to World 5.

Finding hidden items

If Mario looks up while playing the game, try to go where he is looking to find hidden coins and extra life blocks.

Control photographs

When viewing a photograph, as with the photo album, shake the 3DS to put some objects and characters in motion. For example, shake the 3DS when viewing the photo from World 4. You will eventually see Luigi jump up from behind the castle wall in the background.

Microphone features

Blow into the mic to blow away all the dandelions and automatically collect any hidden coins. Additionally, blow into the mic to blow away any ink on the screen from the ink black piranha plants.

Super Mario Bros. 3 reference

Die ten times in a row, and a P-wing from Super Mario Bros. 3 will appear. Use it to reach the end of the level.

The Legend Of Zelda reference

In World 5-2, have a Fire Flower. Reach the part where you are under a large "X", with a giant spiky pole circling above. Move to the left to find four lanterns. Light all four of them to hear the "secret" sound from The Legend Of Zelda, and get some extra coins and a medal.